Love Is Messy—And That’s Where Its Power Lies

Love’s Twists and Turns Love rarely unfolds in a tidy or predictable way. The path takes unexpected turns, twisting and dipping through both joyful highs and uncomfortable lows. If you’ve ever fallen in love, you know this feeling: romance starts off like a wild ride, but true closeness grows when you both learn how to […]

READ ARTICLE

What It Really Takes to Stay Married for 30+ Years

People often ask: How do you stay married to the same person for over 30 years? Well, here’s the honest answer: You don’t. The person I married 31 years ago is not the same person I live with today. And I’m certainly not the same either. We’ve both changed—sometimes in sync, sometimes not. Somehow, we’ve […]

READ ARTICLE

Mind-Reading Is NOT a Love Language

There’s a poem by Jayne Gumpel that always stops me in my tracks. It’s called Goddamn It, Just Ask Me. It speaks to a part of me that has, for much of my life, been quiet—maybe even invisible: the part of me that has needs. For years, I saw myself as a giver. I was […]

READ ARTICLE

Ending Villain-Victim Thinking: Imago Dialogue Creates Understanding

A recent Washington Post article by Yael Schonbrun, “Typecasting others and self as villain or victim can hurt relationships”, explores how we often fall into moral typecasting—assigning rigid roles of villain and victim in our relationships. When we feel hurt or frustrated, it’s natural to see ourselves as the wronged party and our partner as […]

READ ARTICLE

Understanding Reality Brings Peace of Mind and Strengthens Relationships

Imagine you hear a loud thud coming from outside. What thoughts come to mind? Maybe “That’s concerning…” or “Oh, they were doing road work nearby today…” or “That’s that package I ordered…” Any of those might fit with what has really happened; any one may well be reality. Or none of those might fit. What […]

READ ARTICLE

Getting the Love You Want Might Mean Learning a New Language

I speak three languages — French, English, and Spanish — and I can tell you from experience: understanding the words doesn’t mean you fully understand the culture. You can know how to order un café con leche in Spanish and still feel totally out of place at a family table in Barcelona. You can understand […]

READ ARTICLE

Love’s Journey: A Unique Path for BIPOC Couples

Love is a beautiful journey, but for many BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) couples, relationships exist within a unique landscape—one shaped by cultural expectations, generational trauma, systemic challenges, and the desire to create something strong, joyful, and lasting. Navigating love while carrying these layers can be challenging, but healing is possible. The Getting […]

READ ARTICLE

One Couple Navigating the Relationship Cycle

Joshua sat on the park bench, watching the golden leaves drift to the ground. Beside him, Brianna gazed at the quiet lake, her fingers entwined with his. It was peaceful now, but they both knew their love had weathered storms. Love was never just a straight path—it was a cycle, a relationship journey. The Romance […]

READ ARTICLE

Is Your Glass Half Full or Half Empty

And What Does That Say About You? Think about it for a moment, and let yourself really answer the question: am I a half-full or half-empty kind of a person? The answer has a surprising amount of information about how you view life, relationships, and your ability to form secure attachments. Understanding Narrative Tone In […]

READ ARTICLE

The Minimizer/Maximizer Dance

The Imago Dance: Understanding Relationship Dynamics Imago Theory, developed by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt, provides a relational framework that examines how childhood experiences shape adult relationships. At the heart of this theory lies the dynamic interplay between minimizers and maximizers, creating a unique relational dance that can either lead to misunderstanding or become a […]

READ ARTICLE